


A Fraction of Your Smile

by wrenrenn



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: But in the worst way, Dad!Magnus, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-01
Updated: 2017-09-01
Packaged: 2018-12-22 14:39:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11969472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wrenrenn/pseuds/wrenrenn
Summary: "Julia said to tell you to watch your left,-"Magnus cracked a small smile. He could almost hear her say it the way she did every time they parted ways... the way she said it before she left him for the last time."-and that she and Stuart love you too."His breath stopped.





	A Fraction of Your Smile

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "That would be enough" from Hamilton.
> 
> I wrote this before ep 69 came out, so it only goes up to 68 but I might add on to it later!

Magnus stepped through the door into the passenger car, surveying the three travelers seated inside with a feigned casualness. Senses on high alert, he silently catalogued what he saw: one female dwarf, incredible muscles, fidgeting; one human man, bushy beard, trashy wizard robes; and- 

His breath caught in his throat. Sitting there, reading a book, sat a young boy. He had red hair that curled wildly ~~_the_ _way Julia’s did when she was just waking up_~~ , dark skin _~~just like Julia’s,~~_ and was dressed smartly, his entire outfit colour-coordinated _~~the same way Julia dressed, carefully crafting her~~ ~~appearanc~~ ~~e~~_. The boy, noticing the movement towards the front of the car and-

**No.**

Julia’s eyes stared at him out of a boyish face. Julia’s eyes, above a nose that looked like his used to before it was broken for the first time.

He dimly registered his companions crowding in behind him. He tore his gaze away from the boy and continued to move forwards towards the sleeper car, shutting away his tumultuous thoughts and emotions the way he’d perfected in the years following the fall of Ravensroost. This boy – if he really was a boy and not some fucking eldritch creature designed to destroy him – was definitely not to be trusted. It was all too perfect, too real, as if his most painful dream had been plucked from the darkest corner of his brain.

Amidst the crazy, crab-punching, hand-monster slaying, murder-mystery solving adventure that followed, Magnus did his best to hold the boy – who’d enthusiastically introduced himself as Angus McDonald – at a distance. Despite all his teasing and bullying and best efforts, he couldn’t help but soften towards this impossibly endearing child. As he made his escape from Rockport at the conclusion of the adventure, he breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully, he would never have to see that kid again.

(“Just drop me a line, and I'll be there in a flash!” “We'll use the port-wand to find you.”)

 

* * *

 

Angus stood beside the Director, beaming proudly. Magnus mentally told every deity he could think of that they could fuck right off with this bullshit. He resigned himself to dealing with the boy detective for the foreseeable future.

In the months that followed, Magnus couldn’t help but grow fond of Angus, despite his best attempt to keep the kids at arm’s length.

(“I love you sirs!” “ I love you too Angus.”)

 

* * *

 

“Magnus Burnsides!” Kravitz stepped out of the rift he had created and onto the grass of the quad.

“Hail and well met, my dude!” Magnus smirked at him, knowing that he was on his way to a surprise date with Taako.

"Julia said to tell you to watch your left,-"

Magnus cracked a small smile. He could almost hear her say it the way she did every time they parted ways... the way she said it before she left him for the last time.

"-and that she and Stuart love you too."

His breath stopped.

_“Magnus? What’s this?”_

_He looked up from his desk as Julia entered the room, holding a nondescript book in her hand and blushed as he realized what it was. He’d seen the book as he walked home through the market, and bought it almost without thinking. He’d never really thought about children before meeting Julia, but now…_

_“Did you buy a book of baby names?”_

_“Um… I… I mean…” Magnus stammered._

_Julia laughed. “You know I’m not pregnant, right? I definitely would have told you if I was.”_

_“I know, I just… wanted to be prepared?” He was sure that if his face got any redder his head might actually explode. Julia sat next to him, opening the book. He put his arm around her, holding her close as she flipped through the already well-thumbed pages._

_“Did you know that your name means youthful?” he said softly._

_“I guess that mean I’ll be young forever.” She grinned up at him. He smiled back, ignoring the sudden chill that ran down his spine. Her attention returned to the book and they sat there a while, enjoying the quiet closeness._

_Julia broke the silence without looking up. “Is there… one you like?”_

_“Well… for a boy… for our son… Stuart.” Magnus said hesitantly._

_He began to babble on nervously as she flipped through the pages to where 'Stuart' was listed. “I wanted to name him after your dad, but then I thought that having two Stevens would be confusing, so I wanted to find something that sounded like Steven but wasn’t Steven and I like what Stuart means-” Magnus cut himself off, biting his lip._

_Julia smiled down at the book in her lap, smoothing down the page. “…guardian…” she said softly. “I like it. It’s a good hope for our son.”_

_Magnus grinned, an effervescent joy bubbling up as he imagined a little boy, one with wildly curling red hair and Julia’s eyes, running through their home and filling it with laughter._

“Magnus?”

He came back to himself at the sound of Kravitz's worried voice.

“Are-”

“I’m fine.” He bit out harshly. “I have to go.”

He pivoted into a sharp about-face, stomping back towards his bunk. Kravitz watched his retreating back, trying to figure out what had just happened, before walking away to meet up with Taako at the Chug-and-Squeeze.

Magnus slammed the door shut behind him and crumpled against it. He struggled to breath, trying to pull whatever was left of himself together. Lurching upright, he staggered towards the corner of the room where his Pocket Workshop was set up.

“Hello sir! Has something happened? Are you ok?”

Angus's sudden appearance sent Magnus to his knees. “GET THE FUCK OUT!” he roared.

Angus squeaked, burst into tears, and ran out of the room.

Magnus sat there, on his knees, sobbing, for what seemed like days before Taako came home and quietly ushered him to bed.

(“It’ll be alright, Mango. You’ll survive this.” “I wish I wouldn’t.”)

 

* * *

 

Magnus avoided Angus for months. Well, he tried to. He hadn't told anyone about Julia, let alone about Stuart, and he didn't really want to. Of course, that meant that he had to actively try not to raise suspicion. Stealth wasn't Magnus's strong suit, but luckily his companions were Merle 'Vine Fondler' Highchurch and Taako 'from TV', so all he had to do was pretend to be normal if a mission forced him to interact with Angus. Thankfully it was usually filtered through a Stone of Far Speech, so at least he didn’t have to look at the kid's face and wonder if Stuart would've looked like him if Magnus had-

(“You good there Maggie?” “Yeah Taako, I'm fine.”)

 

* * *

 

The giant floating hand sent Angus flying and Magnus saw red. His hand flew to his belt, pausing over his rapier before settling on his grandfather's knife. He unsheathed it and threw himself forward to stab at the eyes of the rhinoceros he'd hogtied himself to. Rhino successfully blinded, he aims it at the hand that just hurt his Ango (and when did he start thinking of the kid as his anyway? Fuck it; fight now, think later) before slashing through the ropes tying him down and jumping off it's back before it ran through the wall of flames. He watched as the hand was gored and disintegrated into ash, filled with vicious satisfaction.

("That was the coolest thing I've ever seen. Hands down." "Nice, nice.")

 

* * *

 

Magnus realized what the prophecy was as soon as he saw the vision meant for him. He watched as it was played out; him, sitting under a tree, Angus throwing a frisbee to a big dog. This was the happy ending he wanted – his family. When it came time to split up he gave Angus his grandfather's knife, hoping that the boy detective would be able to figure out what it meant.

("Be safe. Bring it back to me, okay?" "I won't let you down, sir.")

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever fic, so I'd love to hear what you think!


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